The Changing Waters
by The Crafty Cracker
Summary: Juvia and Gajeel went off on an S-rank mission in a far away town in the Ice Country. When they returned, Gajeel is badly wounded and Juvia is dying. When she woke up, she doesn't remember anything. Now where does Gray come in this picture?


**Hi guys. I'm new here in the Fairy Tail fan fiction archive and I'm writing about my faaaavorite pairing, Gray Fullbuster and Jubia Loxar. Please be kind to me. =)**

**Full Summary:**

**Jubia and Gazille went off on an S-rank mission in a far away town in the Ice Country. When they returned, Gazille is badly wounded and Jubia is dying. When she woke up, she doesn't remember anything. Where does Gray come in this picture? Well, it seems that the only thing Jubia can remember is that Gray is her husband!**

**The Changing Waters**

**A Gray Fullbuster x Jubia Loxar fan fic**

**Rated M**

First Memory

Sacrifice and Confusion

"Where do you they're going?" a half-naked man asked his fellow mage, his gaze bored.

Natsu Dragneel scowled at Gray Fullbuster, his eternal rival. "Beats me," he answered. "Why do you ask me about every single thing?"

"Why? It's not my fault that you don't have answers all the time," Gray scoffed.

"Yeah and you're one to talk, droopy eyes. You don't know a thing that's why you keep on asking me. Dumb ass!" Natsu growled back, his mouth spread in a wicked grin.

"Coming from a dumber ass – " Gray started, but Natsu was already launching a punch to his face.

Before the impact landed on him, someone stopped Natsu with a fierce grip.

It was Erza Scarlet.

The two squabbling mages gulped, fearing what was to come. But Erza didn't say anything. Instead, she was looking at the general direction most of the guild members were going. She had seen something bright flash from the entrance of the place, a flash that Gray and Natsu did not see.

"What's wrong?" Gray asked. Something that disturbed Erza is something to be disturbed about.

"Yeah Erza, you look friggin' scared," Natsu said jokingly.

"Stop it," Erza said coldly. Natsu settled down instantly.

"I think something bad is happening," she added.

A scream suddenly pierced the broad daylight.

* * *

Jubia stumbled over, crumpling into a beaten heap. She was growing increasingly dizzy and she could feel the gush of warm blood pouring from her head. She felt her body tremble involuntarily, signaling that her magic energy was draining rapidly.

They had been battling for hours now, and that she knew for a fact. The sun has already set and she was at wits' end. The biting cold chilled her the whole afternoon had now dropped to a deathly temperature, the dim fires of the cave where they battled doing little to help her now groggy vision.

The ameonna peeked through her rumpled hair, her ever-present hat already flayed and lost somewhere in the cave, just to check on her companion.

Gazille was standing a few paces to her left, spouting out blood. Jubia knew he was suppressing his coughs. She knew her partner well enough to know that he did not want anyone to see any signs of him weakening, most especially the sneering woman in front of them.

Eleona Haggerwick laughed – a cold, high-pitched laugh that befitted the cold ice dragon slayer technique that she possessed. Even more powerful than Gray Fullbuster's ice alchemy.

Jubia accepted this mission after being declared as an S-class mage in Fairy Tail. In the five years that she and Gazille had been in Fairy Tail, only one mage can be declared as an S-class every year. Natsu, Cana, Gray and Fried had been the ones chosen for the previous four tests. And for the most recent exams, Master Makarov had to make an exception to this Chosen One Rule. Both Jubia and Gazille were chosen after showcasing their determination and will to be excellent mages of Fairy Tail. The two ended up in a tie and the master had no choice but to break the rule for once.

To celebrate, the two decided to take on a seemingly dangerous S-rank mission in the ice country in a small town named Atlans. There had been a series of disappearances in which, after three days, the missing people were found frozen and dead, nailed to the doors of their houses. The brutal act scared off many mages and the problem had reached the King of the country, who effectively raised the reward money to a whopping 500,000 jewels.

Jubia had been the one daring enough to pick the advertisement off the mission boards, in which Gazille had been crazy enough to agree. The two left immediately, confident in their skills and that they could finish the job within three days.

It had already been a week since they left the guild. The person responsible for such atrocious crimes seemed untraceable, until Jubia found her hideout amongst one of the caves in the mountains overlooking the town.

The monster responsible for the brutal slaughter of innocent people was a lone, dark mage named Eleona Haggerwick. A dark-haired, menacing woman with a beauty that could turn men to stone. However, her freakish demeanor and her desire to kill just for fun put off any chances for her, and thus was best left alone.

Jubia had predicted that she would be someone with similar powers as Gray, but boy was she wrong. The woman was one of the rare dragon slayers that roamed Earthland and now, that misinformation and underestimation took a huge toll on the two of them.

_No, I can't die here, _Jubia thought. _I won't let anything happen to Gazille-kun. I will return to Gray-sama._

Five years and she still hadn't given up on Gray. Even though he had dated a few girls, some of them being Lucy and Lisanna. Jubia had been devastated, and there were a few incidents of non-stop downpours of rain that ravaged Fairy Tail. But she had matured and told herself that she was happy enough to be with Gray, just watching and loving him. He did not need to return her affections and she was happy enough to channel these romantic feelings to friendship. He did not need to love her back, so long as he let her be. So long as he let her love him.

"Jubia!" Gazille called out.

She picked herself up, feeling the broken bones of her body scream in protest. Eleona sent another surge of ice towards them. Gazelle dodged just in time while Jubia turned into water, flowing after him. There was no way out. The villain was unscathed and they were barely holding on to their lives.

An idea suddenly struck Jubia. She nearly forgot about the trump card she had been hiding for two years now, a technique that she had learned while practicing for the S-class examinations. Something that she only swore to use in the direst of situations. And it seemed that right now was that time.

The only solution seemed to be in the form of sacrifice. If it would mean saving Gazille. At least she could protect someone.

"Gazille-kun," she panted, moving closer to her companion with much effort.

"What?" he grunted out, attempting to rip Eleona's flesh open by turning the ground under her into steel spikes.

"I have a plan."

She whispered the instructions from the corner of her lips. Gazille's eyes almost popped out of their sockets when she finished.

"Are you fucking crazy?" he yelled.

Eleona cackled. "Aww, it seems like the happy couple if having a fight."

The two ignored her as they dodged another attack by a hair's breadth.

"Gazille-kun!" Jubia shouted, her voice urging him to go with the plan.

Gazille's entire body went numb as he saw Jubia turn into a huge gush of water and launched herself towards the enemy.

"I thought I already said that that technique won't work on me?" Eleona shrieked. Depraved, lethal and powerful, she formed a huge surge of ice to counter Jubia's attack. With prodigious skill and no conscience, each attack Eleona threw on them seemed to be their end, and it seemed that Jubia's plan would not work.

"NOW!" Jubia yelled at the top of her lungs.

Gazille gritted his teeth and aimed a thick metal lance filled with spikes. He shot the thing directly towards and through Jubia's body. The spikes were each sharpened and propelled by huge amounts of magical energy. So much that even in her water form, Jubia would be lethally harmed.

The lance seared through Jubia upon impact, almost blinding and knocking her out with pain. But she persisted. She channeled all her magic to heat her water-body in such melting temperatures so that the spikes won't protrude yet from the lance. She fought Gazille's vicious and quick magic with her willpower. She needed to transform his magic to make it a part of her own. Water can shape everything, even the hardest of metal given the proper force and temperature.

And she would have to time it right. She had to let the spikes go when she reached Eleona.

The last thing she saw was Eleona's wide eyes, her expression still haughty, but mixed with shocked. Her body instantly collided with the madwoman's, hitting with all the strength she could muster.

The scene in front of Gazille would imprint itself on his mind forever.

He saw in shock as his solid lance melded itself into Jubia's body, turning the blue water into a silvery liquid. She seemed to be postponing the effects of his magic. Upon impact, Jubia's water encased and entered Eleona through her eyes, ears, and mouth. The ice dragon slayer screamed a sound that made the walls of the cave shake in its deafening sound. In a last surge of powerful magic that he never thought Jubia could do, she fused with Eleona, a glow of silvery-blue encasing the dark-haired woman's body. Jubia was completely inside of her. Then suddenly, a flash of metal filled Gazille's version.

Blood spattered from every direction as almost every inch of Eleona's body had metal spikes protruding out of it. She instantly fell over, the shock and pain still frozen on her face.

"JUBIA!" Gazille bellowed, trying to look for any evidence that she was still alive.

Water suddenly seeped out of Eleona's body, forming the mangled being that was Jubia Loxar.

The sight shook Gazille's normally cool and arrogant self. Jubia had holes all over her body. It was as if she had fused completely with Eleona, taking equal damage upon herself. Only a few tricks might have saved her, effectively placing herself amongst the spikes to avoid the most vital of her internal organs. Her clothes were ripped everywhere, with blood flowing ceaselessly from gruesome wounds. He could barely make out her form. Some parts of her bones peeked from underneath dangling flesh on her arms. He had not seen anyone in this sort of condition, and he blamed himself for this.

_You crazy idiot, _was all he could think of. He knew that Jubia was reckless just to protect and prove something. But he never expected her to go this far.

"Ga… zille…" she whispered, her voice barely audible. It was a miracle that she was alive, let alone having the ability to speak like that.

"Jubia," Gazille croaked. For the first time in his whole life, tears streamed down his face. He could not do a thing for her.

"Take… me… home…"

* * *

Lucy felt her throat rip open when she screamed.

She was about to go through the doors of Fairy Tail and back to her apartment. But a sudden force knocked her back. The door suddenly exploded with light in what seemed to be a magical portal. Out walked Gazille, limping heavily and carrying something so bloody and deformed that Lucy could hardly make out who it was.

"Wendy," Gazille choked out. "Where's Wendy?"

"Gazille-kun, calm down!" Lucy said loudly. "Why are you…"

She was unable to finish her sentence. She stared at the horrifying form, comprehension dawning on her.

Remnants of the once blue clothes were seen amidst the red. Blue hair flowed from Gazille's arm, covered with ice, dirt and blood.

"Jubia…" Gazille said weakly. "Get the girl. Wendy…"

Lucy screamed for help.

Her cries drew more of the guild members. Some gasped. Others fainted. Cana Alberona yelled for them to give Gazille space. Her composure crumbled when she finally found out who it was Gazille was holding. She fell unceremoniously beside Lucy, unable to say a word.

Amidst the turmoil, Wendy managed to squeeze her way through.

"J-Jubia-san," she gasped, feeling weak at the ghastly sight right before her eyes.

"Can you fix her?" Gazille barked at the teenager.

Wendy nodded weakly, choosing her words carefully. "But I can only do so much."

"Whatever you can do, _please, _do it," Gazille begged, carefully putting Jubia on the ground.

No one had ever seen the metal dragon slayer like this before and they didn't like it one bit. Charle and Panther Lily, whom Gazille left behind in Levi's care, exchanged looks of worry.

"What happened?" Natsu yelled jovially, pushing his way through the crowd. "Is there a party? Lucy's so loud."

Erza was right behind Natsu, half-wanting to pummel Natsu to the ground for even thinking someone who screamed like that meant that something joyous was happening. Gray and Mirajane followed her, shaking their heads at Natsu's outburst and worried about what was going on.

"Jubia…" Levi said, sobbing quietly, her eyes on a wounded Gazille.

Natsu looked at Gazille, then to the bloody heap in his arms.

"SHIT!" Natsu cursed in horror.

Erza could not bring herself to say anything. All leadership abilities and logical thinking left her. There was nothing she could do to ease this situation. She felt helpless once again when she looked at the horrific state her fellow mage was in.

"What's wrong? What's – " Gray began, but was instantly stopped.

He heard Jubia's name being said so many times, so he had an idea who the mangled body was in front of him. What his mind kept on rejecting was the idea that Jubia was that body. Or what was left of her once lively form.

"You fucking idiot!" Gray ground out, nearly attacking Gazille, but was stopped by Natsu and Fried. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

He knew Gazille had something to do with this. Those holes in Jubia's body and remnants of metal could only be his doing.

Gazille sneered at him, but his sneer was tinged with grief. "You think I will let anything happen to her? Is you brain that iced up?"

"Shut up!" Erza yelled. "Restrain yourself, Gray. This is clearly not Gazille's doing."

"Idiot," Gazille mumbled, loud enough for those near him to hear. His rants were directed to Jubia. "Thought she could solve everything on her own. Not asking if I even agreed to that grand plan of hers. Suicidal, fucking crazy…"

Gray tore himself away from Natsu and Fried, having no idea what Gazille was talking about. From the corner of his eyes all he could see was so much blood and gore. So little was left of the blue that Jubia often had on.

The magic that Wendy seemed to be working on glowed more powerfully. Sweat was dripping down her forehead as she concentrated on healing Jubia as much as she can.

"Is she alive?" Gray muttered.

"Yes," Wendy said, putting on the greatest effort she could ever muster. "But she is badly injured and severely weakened. I can only bring her life force back and heal some of her minor injuries. I will also restore as much of the lost magical power as I can. Let's be glad that the damage did not reach the most vital parts of her body."

Gray nodded automatically. He could not bring himself to feel relieved even for a slightest fraction. There was something about this whole situation that did not sit well with him. Jubia had always been there, full of life. And though he often ignored her and her unwelcome advances, she had been a seemingly permanent part of his life. The thought of losing her made him colder and colder by the second.

"Jubia-chan…" Lisanna and Mirajane said together, weeping silently.

Master Makarov suddenly appeared, his small form walking over to Jubia. His lips pulled down to a sad and anxious frown.

"Everyone," he called out, "Jubia is fighting to survive. We should all lend her a hand."

"How?" Cana asked determinedly. She would help Jubia whatever the case may be. After all, the ameonna had become her best friend.

"Put your right hand over your heart and try channeling some of your magical energy towards me. I will then direct it over to Jubia," Makarov explained. "With Wendy's sky magic, we can rekindle some of Jubia's life force and magical energy."

The whole guild approved of this instantly. In a few seconds, all of them had their hands on their chest as instructed. The transfer of powers began, and Makarov guided it to Jubia, a wonderful display of colors hovering above her form.

After a few minutes, exhaustion overtook the weaker members. Only the A and S-class mages remained, still letting Jubia feed off their energy. But she was still unconscious and her wounds were only half-repaired.

Gray's mind reeled. What would happen if Jubia died? He shouldn't be too concerned. But she was still his nakama. He couldn't let anyone die, not on his watch.

His eyes roamed over to the people left, giving Jubia some of their energy – Erza, Natsu, Mirajane, Gildartz, Fried, Cana, Levi, Lucy, Elfman, Lisanna, and Master Makarov. They were unwilling to give up on their fallen nakama, and Gray knew that he was as equally determined as they are.

After another three minutes, they all stopped, exhausted. Master Makarov asked that Wendy resume her healing in a safer and more comfortable place. Lucy volunteered her apartment, along with letting Jubia stay while she was recuperating.

Gazille was taken away and put under Levi's care, as she had insisted. The metal dragon slayer was adamant at first, wanting to make sure that Jubia would be fine.

"She'll be fine," Levi said to him softly. "Jubia-chan's a strong girl and we have all done a great job."

Gazille grunted an agreement and was led away.

Gray, Natsu, Cana, and Erza went along with Lucy and Wendy, making the stellar mage suddenly depressed about barging in into her home again.

The sky was already dark when Wendy had finally finished all that she could do on Jubia. She slumped back on Lucy's arm chair and sighed tiredly.

"You did well, Wendy," Erza commended her.

Wendy smiled weakly. "I did my best."

"Is there still something wrong with her?" Gray asked worriedly.

The dark-haired teenager frowned. "There's something unidentifiable within her. I tried examining what it was that was hindering her mental well-being."

"Mental well-being?" Natsu asked, confused. "You mean Jubia's gone mad?"

"No," Wendy said, chuckling slightly. "I did a physical examination on Jubia hours ago. Her body was damaged, and that's taken care of, but there's also something within her spiritual energy and mental energy. Her spiritual energy seemed denser than that of an ordinary mage's. It's as if it's mixed with someone else's."

"Like two souls in one?" Cana concluded, her anxiety rising.

"Yes," Wendy said. "But when I examined her later, her spirit stabilized again, so I think that was just the result of her massive injuries. It's as if her spirit is reproducing herself to fight the wounds."

_A lot like Jubia, _Cana thought with pride. "That woman really knows no bounds."

"But what about that mental thingy?" Natsu asked again.

"Well," Wendy said, inhaling deeply. "There might be a slight problem on Jubia when she wakes up."

"Slight problem?" Lucy repeated, glancing over at Jubia, whose body was wrapped in one of the night gowns she had provided for her. The ameonna was bandaged all over.

"Don't be shocked if she lost part of her memory," Wendy explained further, her shoulders slumping. "There must have been so much trauma from the events that happened to her and Gazille. Her head has acquired great physical damage and her brain had so much magic energy coiled up around it that I can't remove it."

"Can't remove it?" Gray questioned, his teeth gritted. "So it'll just stay there forever? Jubia won't be able to remember a thing?"

"Weren't you listening, Gray?" Natsu said. "She lost _part _of her memory. That's what Wendy said."

"And why are you acting all crazy, Gray?" Cana said, giggling mockingly. "Have you developed some sort of crush on our Jubia-chan?"

Gray tsk-ed and ignored them. They were all mental for even thinking stuff like that in this sort of situation.

"Don't worry, Gray-san," Wendy said. "The magic coiled up will eventually drain away. It can't hold there forever. And besides, the more Jubia is reminded, the more memories will come back to her."

Gray nodded, unsure of what to say.

"I guess you can all leave her in my care," Lucy said, perking up. "You can trust me on this one!"

"I'll stay here with you, Lucy," Cana said.

"W-what?" the blonde mage said, scandalized, before mumbling, "Invading my personal space again."

"Well, you can't expect me to leave my best friend alone, can you?" Cana said. "And besides, I'll keep myself sober."

Upon saying this, she pulled out a large barrel of sake out of nowhere and placed it on one of Lucy's counter tops. Erza shook her head at this. Natsu laughed at Lucy's stricken face. Gray said nothing and proceeded to leave.

"You leaving already, Fullbuster?" Natsu growled at him, grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah, you got a problem with that?" Gray said, scowling.

"Put some clothes on first," Erza supplied.

"WHAT?" Gray said in surprise. _When did I strip?_

_

* * *

_

Jubia had been asleep for a week and two days now, still showing no signs of life apart from breathing. A magical tube had been attached to her to supply food and water for her. Lucy and Cana had been almost sleepless just watching over for any unstable fluctuations in her magical energy. Wendy visited once in a while to give Jubia long healing sessions. Most of the guild members had crashed in on Lucy's place to check on the injured mage's condition. Lucy could only sigh as they look through her things, their original purpose gone.

It was on one rainy night that Jubia finally opened her bloodshot eyes.

"Jubia…" Lucy said, who was the one awake at that time. "Cana! Jubia's awake!"

The stellar mage called out to her friend, who rushed so quickly to Jubia's bedside that it was almost miraculous.

They both peered over Jubia.

Midnight blue eyes collided with their worried gazes.

"Who are you?" Jubia muttered.

Cana's and Lucy's eyes filled with tears. Wendy's prediction came true. Jubia indeed lost her memory. But they had to stay optimistic. They needed to help Jubia pick up pieces of her lost memory.

"It's me, Cana," the wavy-haired mage said, smiling softly at Jubia. "Your best friend."

"Ca… na?" Jubia repeated, still no recognition in her eyes.

"And I'm Lucy," Lucy helped, smiling with encouragement and hope.

"Lucy…" Jubia said again, before falling back into another slumber.

The two women sat on the wooden floors of Lucy's apartment, staring at the dark ceiling.

"What should we do?" Lucy asked, after minutes of silence.

"We should just help her recover her lost memory," Cana said. "I don't know why Jubia had to go through so much when she deserves much more."

"I guess we all have to face challenges no matter how good we've been," Lucy said, smiling to herself. "We can't expect a perfect life."

"Yeah," Cana agreed. "I just wish that Jubia will one day get what she deserves."

"You mean Gray?" Lucy said, giggling. "It's too bad that she won't be remembering him for some time."

"Tsk," Cana grunted. "Jubia deserves more than that dense exhibitionist. I swear he acts all concerned for one second, then back to his usual dense self. He's worse than Natsu, and that's saying something!"

Lucy grinned in the darkness, agreeing with the fact that Natsu was indeed so dense…

The next day, Jubia had fully woken up. She was eating at a poise that Lucy and Cana found admirable for someone who hadn't eaten a solid meal for more than a week. She had been quiet and observant, listening to everything the two mages said. She had quickly digested the information, quickly addressing Lucy and Cana by their first names, but still with the honorifics.

She had been quick to trust Cana, as if by a sudden surge of instinctual memory. Lucy was someone she was more suspicious with, being more formal with her. She had been quick to thank them for their care.

Jubia was seen by Wendy later into the afternoon, who was accompanied by a grumbling Gazille. Shockingly, Jubia seemed to remember Gazille.

"GAZILLE-KUN!" Jubia said, tears flowing from her face. "Jubia is glad you're okay!"

"W-what?" Gazille said, confused. "I thought you said she can't remember a thing," he added, directing the question to Wendy.

"I guess it's selective," Wendy concluded. "I can't be sure about everything, Gazille-san."

"Yeah, yeah, sure," Gazille said, awkwardly patting Jubia's head as the woman suddenly wrapped herself around Gazille in a worried and relieved embrace.

"I'm glad she has one part of her life that she remembers," Cana said softly. They already knew what went on with Gazille and Jubia after they forced the man to tell them everything. Gazille had been filled with guilt over the whole ordeal and they all understood that it was Jubia's choice.

"Gazille-kun," Jubia said, drawing the attention of everyone. "Have you seen Jubia's husband?"

"Huh?" Gazille said, his pierced brows furrowed.

Cana laughed. "What are you talking about Jubia, you're not married!"

"What?" Jubia said angrily, making the others pull back in surprise. "Yes, Jubia's married! Where – ?"

"Hey, what's the ruckus about?" Natsu said loudly, entering Lucy's apartment.

"Natsu, what are you doing here?" Lucy shouted, surprised again that Natsu just barged in.

"Of course we're here to visit Jubia, ne, Fullbuster?" Natsu said, calling out to the man behind him.

Gray stepped out from behind Natsu, his eyes finding the angered ameonna at the center of the room.

"M… my… husband," Jubia suddenly whispered, her eyes animated and looking at Gray with so much affection and love that had the others gasping in surprise. "Gray-sama…"

"HUH?"

* * *

**Done! That was pretty long. Hope you liked it. Please leave a review. =)**


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